Ayyanna: No Work, No Pay Should Apply to Lawmakers

Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu on Sunday called for making Assembly sessions mandatory for at least 60 days every year to strengthen governance and accountability.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the two-day national conference of parliamentary and legislative committees on Empowerment of Women in Tirupati, Patrudu observed that several States currently conduct sittings for only 30 to 35 days annually. He urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who shared the dais with him, to consider framing uniform guidelines to standardise the number of sittings across the country.

Expressing concern over absenteeism, the Speaker asked why legislators and parliamentarians should continue to draw salaries despite skipping sessions. “When employees face a ‘No Work, No Pay’ rule, why should lawmakers be exempt?” he questioned.

Responding to Patrudu’s proposal, Birla said the suggestion could be deliberated at the conference of presiding officers scheduled for January next year.

Later, speaking to reporters, Patrudu criticised the absence of several legislators from the Assembly, noting that 11 members of the YSRC, including its leader, had stayed away. He said people elect their representatives to raise public issues in the House, and it was the responsibility of MLAs to attend and participate in discussions. Instead, he pointed out, some legislators skip sessions but continue to draw their monthly salaries.

Patrudu stressed that elected representatives must not neglect their duties, reminding that the Assembly is the primary forum for addressing people’s concerns.